Indoor navigation method and system using illumination lamps

• US 8,510,033 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Park, Sung-Bum, Jung, Dae-Kwang, Shin, Hong-Seok, Choi, Jeong-Seok, Lee, Kyung-Woo, Song, Ki-Uk
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US12/977,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20110153201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 701/409, 701/428, 701/433, 701/434, 701/449, 340/531, 398/43, 398/17, 398/130, 315/294
• US Class Current: 701/409
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for performing a navigation service in a mobile terminal is provided. Map information and an IDentification (ID) of an information spot, which is connected to a map server, are received from the information spot. A current position is determined. The map information and the current position are displayed A destination input by a user is received. An optimal path from the current position to the destination is calculated and displayed by using the map information. When the mobile terminal receives an ID of a general spot from the general spot, a current position of the mobile terminal is re-determined. When the re-determined current position is on the optimal path, the optimal path is updated and the updated optimal path from the re-determined current position to the destination is displayed.

Claims

1. A method for performing a navigation service in a mobile terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving map information and an IDentification (ID) of an information spot from the information spot, which is connected to a map server, and determining a current position of the mobile terminal;

displaying the map information and the current position;

receiving a destination input by a user;

calculating and displaying an optimal path from the current position to the destination by using the map information;

when the mobile terminal receives an ID of a general spot from the general spot, re-determining a current position of the mobile terminal; and

when the re-determined current position is on the optimal path, updating the optimal path and displaying the updated optimal path from the re-determined current position to the destination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the re-determined current position is not on the optimal path, re-calculating an optimal path of the terminal and displaying the re-calculated optimal path from the re-determined current position to the destination.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information spot and the general spot form a pattern and a symbol from light emitted from a plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), and

the mobile terminal identifies a plurality of visible rays by identifying the pattern and the symbol through an optical sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the map server comprises map information of an area for which the navigation service is provided.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the map server is connected to the information spot via a Power Line Communication (PLC) network or a Local Area Network (LAN).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information spot comprises an LED lamp for generating light, a lamp driver for driving the LED lamp, a data/physical layer for delivering the ID of the information spot, the map information, and additional service information to the lamp driver, and a switch for inputting the ID of the information spot.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the general spot comprises an LED lamp for generating light, a lamp driver for driving the LED lamp, a data/physical layer for delivering the ID of the general spot to the lamp driver, and a switch for inputting the ID of the general spot.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the general spot is connected to the map server via a communication network.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, when the mobile terminal receives additional information of a corresponding position from the general spot, displaying the additional information on a screen.

10. A terminal for performing a navigation service, the terminal comprising:

a display unit for displaying display contents under a control of a controller;

a storage unit for storing data required to operate the terminal;

an input unit for receiving a user'"'"'s input and delivering the user'"'"'s input to the controller;

an optical communication unit, which is comprised of a light receiving device and receives an optical signal from a Light Emitting Diode (LED) spot; and

the controller for controlling each component of the terminal, receiving map information and an IDentification (ID) of an information spot from the information spot connected to a map server, determining a current position of the terminal, displaying the map information and the current position, calculating and displaying an optimal path from the current position to a destination by using the map information when the destination is input by the user, re-determining a current position of the terminal when an ID of a general spot is received from a general spot, and updating the optimal path and displaying the updated optimal path from the re-determined current position to the destination.

11. The terminal of claim 10, wherein, when the re-determined current position is not on the optimal path, the controller re-calculates an optimal path of the terminal and displays the re-calculated optimal path from the re-determined current position to the destination.

12. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the information spot and the general spot form a pattern and a symbol from light emitted from a plurality of LEDs, and

the terminal identifies a plurality of visible rays by identifying the pattern and the symbol through an optical sensor.

13. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the map server comprises map information of an area for which the navigation service is provided.

14. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the map server is connected to the information spot via a Power Line Communication (PLC) network or a Local Area Network (LAN).

15. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the information spot comprises an LED lamp for generating light, a lamp driver for driving the LED lamp, a data/physical layer for delivering the ID of the information spot, the map information, and additional service information to the lamp driver, and a switch for inputting the ID of the information spot.

16. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the general spot comprises an LED lamp for generating light, a lamp driver for driving the LED lamp, a data/physical layer for delivering the ID of the general spot to the lamp driver, and a switch for inputting the ID of the general spot.

17. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the general spot is connected to the map server via a communication network.

18. The terminal of claim 17, wherein, when the mobile terminal receives additional information of a corresponding position from the general spot, the controller displays the additional information on a screen.

19. A navigation system comprising:

a map server for storing map information and additional information of an area for which a navigation service is provided;

a plurality of LED spots, which are connected to the map server and output information delivered from the map server and their IDentification (ID) information as an optical signal; and

a mobile terminal for receiving the optical signal including the map information and the ID information from one or more of the plurality of LED spots, perceiving a current position of the mobile terminal, and calculating and displaying an optimal path from the current position to a destination.